Life For Rent
by LucySpiller
Summary: What happened after the curse broke, how did Emma finally reunite with her parents, how did Snow/Charming begin their new life together after what had happened before with Mary Maragret and David, and how did Henry adjust to all the changes.
1. Life For Rent

Hello! Couldn't get this idea out of my head, heard this song earlier by Dido, and just thought instantly of this idea and had to write it out. If you'd like me to continue please review and give feedback!

**Life For Rent**

_I haven't ever really found a place that I call home**  
**I never stick around quite long enough to make it**  
**I apologize once again I'm not in love**  
**But it's not as if I mind**  
**that your heart ain't exactly breaking_

Within a few hours of the curse breaking Emma Swann had found the one thing she had always desired; a family. Her own family, a mum, a dad...parents, that had her, that were truly hers...everything that all those girls at school teased her for not having, those families in the foster care homes said would never come back for her, and through all these doubts here they were, presenting themselves in front of her, her mothers big wide eyes now completely soaked by the tears of excitement and relief as she saw her daughter stood opposite her, her hair was long and had soft curls which hang by her shoulders, she had her fathers nose and her eyes and she looked like she had been through a lot. Her father, stood proud. His daughter, had fought for them, she had done what he couldn't, what was impossible for him and it made him so proud to know she was his and Snow's. That he produced something so pure and wondrous.

Emma felt her mothers arms embrace her with force, Snow didn't want to hurt her, but she had imagined this moment for 28years, ever since she had lost her daughter within minutes of giving birth to her all she dreamt was holding her again and seeing that she had become a bright, intelligent, happy and beautiful lady. She saw some of these qualities when she looked back at her daughter before pulling her into another embrace for scared she'd go again. Snow however also saw the hurt and struggle that her little girl had gone through to get to this moment, she had sacrificed much more than anyone from the Enchanted kingdom had. She had the hardest task of trying to accept that her parents didn't want her and not knowing the actual truth, then all of the stuff with Henry which she was now making up to him and getting her own small family with him by her side.

Charming had protected his family the best he could, the best anyone could have of until he took her and gave her the best chance of her survival and having his family back. But as he stood in front of her he didn't regret a single decision, he regretted not being with her until now, but he looked around at his old friends slowly coming out the shadows of the streets and hugging everyone in a happy reunion and looked at his daughter and knew it was all because of her. He moved forward, wrapping his arms round his family. In his memories he remembered how that felt when she was only minutes old in Snow's arm and he had done the same thing then, seeing her beautiful she was and seeing his Snow cry because she was so proud. A little tiny pair of arms surrounded themselves around the three family members; Henry had finally met his true grandparents, and saw his mother's happy smile, she looked shocked, but she had just found out that magic was real, the curse was real and her parents had been around her the whole time unaware of who they truly were and who she was.

"_You did it Emma. You did it" _Henry excited announced, his family stood around, Charming arm round Henry's back pulling into his side, and his proud look to see how clever and intelligent his own grandson was. Emma looked up at the crowd of people now coming around her, they were all these peoples she fought so hard to become sheriff for, and now they're thanking her for saving their lives and bringing back their own Enchanted personalities.

"_We knew you could it"_ Snow cried harder, she was proud of her little girl. Emma just gazed around and held onto her mother's hand when she reached for it seconds beforehand, she felt her mothers grip as she knew she wouldn't be releasing her hand for several minutes. She secretly loved it, she went from having no one to love her, or care for her, to having her parents, son, and her parents closest friends and companions stood around her thanking her and giving her the attention she had always pleaded for.

"_Why did you have so much faith I could this?"_ Emma asked, the fear in her voice made Snow wonder why she asked the question. Snow smiled and cupped her hands around her daughters face, and spoke deeply at her, seeing her eyes connecting back at hers as she took in her words. _"Ever since you were just a small baby, and you were in my arms, you fought, you fought to get out of the realm, and you came back here, you came back for us" _Snow couldn't stop crying, she needed to get this out of her system and allow her daughter to see the pain it took for her to give away her baby.

It's just a thought, only a thought  
But if my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy  
Well I deserve nothing more than I get  
Cos nothing I have is truly mine

After a few more hours of catching up, and plenty rounds of free drinks being given out at Granny's the Charming family went back to their home. It was finally all of theirs. Not just Mary Maragaret's apartment, or where Emma stayed, it was their home. Henry walked further ahead with Emma, leaving Snow and Charming to walk hand in hand tailed back slightly, they had been apart for so long, they hadn't and dared not to count their time as Mary Maragret and David Nolan, they saw the dark side of the curse reappearing through their decisions as their other half, the lust and dangerous affair.

"_Come on Kid, open the door" _Emma laughed towards her son, he looked up at her, admiring his mother and what she had done and put the key into the door and opened it revealing that fresh smell of home and scent of candles burning from the window ledge. As Snow and Charming quickly followed them in, Charming helped Snow take off her coat and hanged it on the hooks located on the back of the door, before grabbing Emma's and Henry's coats also. It looked right for the first time, the door that was, it had four hooks, and now all those four hooks were occupied, and by coats of the people Snow loved.

Snow had already found herself tidying up her apartment, putting the few bits and bobs in the correct places and allowing Charming to make them fresh drinks from the kitchen area, Henry had happily found his spot on the stool and Emma had joined him as Charming handed them both hot chocolates and walked gently over to Snow to hand her the mug he had made her, and waited as she walked back over to where her family were sat. Her family.

"_Will you both be staying here?"_ Snow asked after sipping carefully into the hot drink. She noticed Henry's look at Emma and the pure terror upon his face. Snow sensed he didn't want to be anywhere else, it had never been sorted out with Regina the terms now the curse was broken, Snow didn't care about that for now, all she wanted was her family to be together and finally have their moment. Emma sipped her drink taking her mother's lead before continuing. _"I'd like too. If that would be alright, and I'm sure Henry would, wouldn't you kid?"_ She smiled and saw out the corner of her eye Henry nodding frequently.

Snow looked so relieved. Apart of her thought Emma would say no, and do what she had done when Mary Maragret knew her; which included her running away whenever anything was going right or she found out too much. _"Well that's sorted then. You and Henry can have the upstairs, where you were before, and me and Charming will have down here"_ She looked at Charming raising her eyebrow, implying for him to agree with her suggestion. He looked slightly confused _"Why you asking me, I do whatever you say my love"_ He smiled and saw her grin brightly.

_I've always thought  
that I would love to live by the sea  
To travel the world alone  
and live more simply  
I have no idea what's happened to that dream  
Cos there's really nothing left here to stop me_

"_Mum, I'm going to go sit upstairs and read for a bit" _Henry spoke loudly, he noticed his grandparents smile and mouth the word thank you in his direction, Emma watched him walk up the stairs before focusing back on her parents. There they stood in front of her, both of them, so happy of her and her achievements and all she wanted to do was ask them why, how, when.

Snow coughed lightly before putting down her mug a little too forcedly onto the worktop. _"So, I bet you have a lot of questions for us huh?"_ She smiled, she felt Charming's hand grip onto hers for support. They had been expecting this since they agreed to send her away all those years ago. They didn't want to make up pathetic apologies more explain their scenario and the reasons.

Emma played with her furiously, wrapping the small blonde strand around her finger. "_Why did you do it?"_ she asked the the basic question of all, but something she needed to know to understand why before they went more deep into the conscience of Snow White and Charming.

Charming looked at his wife, seeing her eyes so fragile like glass. The way Emma worded it made it sound like it was easy, but that was far from the truth. He held onto Snow's hand tighter as she spoke to his daughter. _"Well, we were told the curse was coming, and we went and saw Rumplestiltskin in his cell, and he told us that you could save us all, and if we sent you away on your 28__th__ birthday you would return and find us. The blue Fairy thought of the magic wardrobe to send you in, and you were meant to get sent over with Snow, but she went into labour early and that meant we had to send you alone to here"_ He closed his mouth, not knowing what else to add, he had just summarised within a minute the most hardest and difficult decision he had ever had made.

Emma felt their pain, the way Snow kept her head down in shame throughout the entire speech, she could see her mother reliving those finally moments with her daughter and how she must have felt. She wanted to hate them for leaving her, for leaving her alone and the way they did, but she looked at them now and all she saw was sadness and regret. _"Why didn't you just not send me? Why not let us all be together?"_ Emma had just asked the hardest question. The what if question that burned her parents alive every moment.

Snow took the courage to the answer this question. _"Emma, we gave you your best chance. When the curse hit we knew nothing of each other, Regina had kept me and your dad apart on purpose, now we both see that, she could have very well done the same for you, if I knew we'd be together I would have not for a second thought differently. But Emma, what you must understand, is me and your father, we were in charge, our people, your people, looked up to us, they needed us to be strong for them, and we needed you to save us. Sometimes your duty isn't about you, it's about everyone else and once again if you came with us, we don't know what could have been"_ Snow felt herself slowly creeping towards Charming, all she had craved since getting their memories back was one of his supportive hugs and a kiss.

Emma didn't understand, she knew in time she would most likely begin to understand where her parents where and what they experienced, but right now she couldn't grasp their decision making referring to sending her away, on her own to a new land in the hope she would return and save them. _"I'm going to go get some fresh air...on my own" _Emma announced, she got up from the seat, knowing Henry would be fine here she left him with well her parents, and grabbed her coat and wrapped her scarf tightly around her neck before leaving hers and Mary Margaret's apartment.

Emma found herself walking hopeless around Storybrooke, this town that had meant nothing to her except where Henry was, was now the place she saved, it was a town full of fairytale characters trapped in false indentifes by the very woman who tried to chase her away and get her arrested at every thing she did. And now she kept walking around seeing all of these people who would never talk, never socialise, talking and socialising because they now knew who they were and what had happened and they had found their happy endings. And as Emma looked at them she wondered if that was meant to be her happy ending. She sat down on the bench over looking the closed up library, pulling her coat and scarf tighter around her body as the night air was slowly drifting over her.

She must have drifted off for a second, as she only then noticed Archie sitting down next to her, with Pongo on his lead obedient laying in front of him. "Emma, so nice seeing you" He smiled with that doctor looking grin he often gave. Emma smiled back before sinking her head back down to stare at the ground.

"_How are things going back at home?"_ He asked, he was egar to hear how she had been dealing with everything, after all it was because of her that everyone was back to their normal selves and Regina was finally out of control of the town. Emma looked up at him, _"It's not really my home though is it? I mean what is home anymore? Is it here, is it Boston, is it in this land somewhere?"_ Emma had just asked more questions in one sentence than Archie had ever heard before. He didn't know where to start for the best.

"_Emma, home is where your family are. You have your family back. You have Snow, Charming and Henry and there all in that house where you lived happily before with Mary Maragret. Emma you wanted this deep down, but remember in time you'll understand why they did this, and you will forgive them, and all you have to do is look into their eyes to see their regret and their love for you. Give them a chance"_ He remembered the conscience inside him coming out, the way it was meant to, he felt for the first time years he gave someone advice, and could truly mean his own words.

Archie left it several minutes before speaking again, he allowed Emma to take in what he had said, like usual he saw her brain working through the connection of her eyes, her smile seemed softer and her eyes now looked less hurt and broken and more determined and light. _"Now Emma, why don't you go home to your little boy and you parents, and ask Snow about her younger years as Bandit, I can tell you it's personally very funny to hear"_ Archie allowed himself a small laugh with all of this seriousness, he saw Emma's eyes light up trying to imagine her mum that sort of character. Emma stood up and made her steps back towards her apartment. _"Archie, who were you...in this land?"_ she asked, she hadn't worked him out yet, but she wanted too._ "Jimmy Cricket"_

_While my heart is a shield and I won't let it down  
While I am so afraid to fail so I won't even try  
Well how can I say I'm alive  
If my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy  
Well I deserve nothing more than I get  
Cos nothing I have is truly mine_

"_Grandpa, where my mom?" _Henry asked as he walked down the stairs and instantly saw the empty space where she had sat when he had left her. He walked towards his grandparents and stood by his Grandma as she put an arm around him for a small embrace.

"_Your mom, wanted some air"_ Charming added, before picking up a wooden sword and throwing it in Henry's direction. _"What this for?"_ he asked, observing the object in front of him, slowly waving it around in the open air.

Charming picked up his small wooden sword and stood opposite where his grandson was, and tapped his sword gently with the end of his. _"To fight with, come on, show your Grandpa what you're made of"_ he joked, Henry laughed, and in the middle of the lounge area they both jumped around excited hitting each others swords. Snow stood and hide out of the way laughing at her family. This was all she ever wanted. The door opened and Emma stuck in without the boys noticing her, she walked over to where Snow was stood watching the boys play.

"_What did I miss?"_ Emma laughed, she slowly unravelled the scarf from around her neck and unbuttoned her coat while watching Henry fight against his own granddad. _"Well, your father decided now would be the best time to find out Henry's sword fighting skills_" Snow smiled and felt her daughter's hand slip into hers, she pressed onto it and held it for a few seconds before letting go and carefully running to save her ornaments which the boys where getting awfully close too. "_Charming, if you knock off that vase I won't be responsible...I'm serious Charming"..._

And right there Emma knew what she wanted. This. She wanted her family stood in front of her, playing with wooden swords, laughing, joking, her mother being serious as always but laughing when she was trying to be stern, and best of all she wanted to go join in and picked up her own wooden sword and defended her son.

I_f my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy__  
__Well I deserve nothing more than I get__  
__Cos nothing I have is truly mine__  
__Cos nothing I have is truly mine__  
__Cos nothing I have is truly mine__  
__Cos nothing I have is truly mine_

**What did you all think? This has to be the longest chapter I've ever written in my entire life. Should I do more? I was thinking in the next one have a Snow/Charming reunion and more cute scenes are a family and how they got things back into routine?**


	2. Who Makes You Feel - Part One

Thank you so much for your replies - have made my month completely! I'm preparing to go to Uni next week so hence my late update. But here you go! And as promised mainly cute Snowing! (I'm not putting a rating up as theres nothing rating worth but in case anyone gets funny etc. it's a little bit of Snowing sexy time!)

Who Makes You Feel Part One

_I don't touch you the way I used to_

_I don't call and write when I'm away_

_We don't make love as often as we did do_

_What couldn't wait now waits and usually goes away_

With the excitement of everyone finding out their true identities and the rush of citizens of Storybrooke discovering what the Evil Queen had done didn't leave Prince Charming and Snow White which much time to reunite. They had shared a brief hug and a kiss which felt like it was more than overdue, and then their small conversation with Emma and of course joined by Henry, but they hadn't been alone, been allowed to take about everything that had happened between Mary Margaret and David.

The couple lay in the white designed bed sheets, a thin cotton blanket was all that kept their bodies from being revealed to harsh cold of the autumn turn from outside. Charming had his wife supportively cuddled into his chest, her head rested near where his heart was and his spare hand going through small strands of her black hair as he always used too.

"We really need to talk...about everything" Snow finally said what they both expected. Between them and their Storybrooke lives they have had created some hell of a mess and broke each other's hearts a few times each.

"Snow, David wasn't me. I see small resemblances, but he wasn't who I wanted him to be" Charming had now kept his head lowered, he didn't dare look at Snow. The shame he felt for the way David had treated Mary Margaret made him feel sick. He couldn't believe he'd allow that happen, even though it technically wasn't him he couldn't separate these memories from those of them back home.

Snow saw the hurt in her husband's eyes, the pain she felt every day as Mary Margaret was now being reflected through his beautiful eyes. She moved her body and turned, the sheet moving swiftly with her so she laid on her front, she cupped his chin with her hand and pulled herself closer to him, kissing his lips gently and moving away again. "Charming, it wasn't you, you'd never hurt me, you saved me more times than I'd like to admit before, David, he tried to do the right thing, but it was a messy situation. You can't blame yourself" She could sympathize with Charming for this, she had slept with also as a result of her alter-ego side.

"How can you be so calm about this all? I hurt you Snow. I hurt everyone" He couldn't get those images out of his head. The pain he felt in his heart and that brave look his wife held so brightly and so strongly in front of him as she comforted him for his own wrongdoings.

"Charming, I look at you now as Charming" she laughed realizing her sentence sounded silly, she noticed the small grin appear on his face too. "Your my Charming, the same man I always loved, and you love me, I know that much. Mary Margaret was nowhere near a saint in some ways, I feel the things she did were worse than many of David's mistakes..." Charming interrupted Snow mid sentence.

"But how do you separate those memories?" He asked her, seeing that she had clearly done so already. Within a few hours she'd realised it wasn't her fault and the past was the past.

"I look at myself now, and I see me, Snow White, I see our beautiful girl who isn't a baby anymore, but who has now has her own babies, and I look at you and I see the outcome. We have a family Charming, our very own family. Mary Margaret never had any of that, she had literally her job and a select few friends, then she had Emma and it changed everything for her, now I realize those memories are from another life, someone who made bad decisions but she learnt, and the same way how even though I feel I'm Snow again I'll still make mistakes and from past mistakes I will learn. Now Charming, I believe you owe me" she winked in his direction. His clueless face told her everything.

_But listen and think when I say it,_

_Oh but listen and think when I say it,_

_Who makes you feel the way that I make you feel._

_Who loves you and knows you the way I do,_

_Who touches you and holds you quite like I do,_

_Who makes you feel like I make you feel._

Snow had now moved herself more alluringly above his body, his face now turning from that sad puppy dog look to a hungry animal appearance. She smiled and felt him pull her closer. He hadn't been with her like for this over 28years and even when they were together, those rare moments they were alone were like a seeing shooting star, they had been so determined to beat all those forces against them they hardly had time for themselves, that was their sacrifice and they understood it. But now, they had all this time. To reunite, to discover the fire that burnt between them, that love, spark, everything they needed.

Charming had now successfully lured Snow on top of him, his hands wandering around her body, her hands were now tightly around the back of his neck and the kisses intensively increased til the only noise they could hear was the sound of their heartbeats thrashing harder against each other's chests.

"I've missed...this" Charming smiled into her neck, his kisses were travelling across her naked skin, as she moaned gently into his neck, they had never been able to be so free, so passionate until now. Now they were alone and it was just them to satisfy their needs from that very first moment.

"I've missed you" Snow smiled, a few tears released themselves from her eyes. She was currently in bed with the man who had saved her, the man who had made her love him, the man she fell so desperately in love with she'd do anything for, and now look at them, 28years later they finally completed their task, saved everyone and now had a lifetime to be together and do this every day without the fear of no evil Queen's or magical beings interrupting.

"I know coming to bed with me is well a little step up from Whale, but surely I'm not worth crying over" Charming teased her, he bite gently onto her nose as she looked shocked. He knew the truth behind her tears, she had those eyes that looked like a crystal ball you could look into them and instantly understand what she was feeling.

"How, when, who told you?" Snow moved herself inches apart from him. She didn't even realize David knew, let alone Charming for that matter. The only person who knew about her one night stand was Emma and maybe Ruby. How did he find out, or more to the point why had he not said something sooner, like not even half an hour ago when they were talking about their Storybrooke lives mistakes. She hadn't kept it from him, just didn't want to confront too many demons in one conversation.

"Snow, David knows everything...And maybe Emma might have told him one night when she clearly very angry over how David treated Mary Margaret after the all of the Catherine confrontations..." He allowed himself to be honest, at the time he didn't think much about it, saw it as the way he dealt with things, something to get over another. But now reflecting back, his daughter had told him of his wife's affair.

She looked down, the tears were forming harder in her eyes, her soft stained cheeks were now completely soaked by tears that emerged down and seemed to only worsen the longer she looked at him. He wiped away her tears the end of his finger, pressing his lips to her's. "Snow, I'm not angry, it wasn't you, I understand that. And anyway look who's bed you're in now" He laughed, he was thankful she got his joke and she playfully hit his chest and kissed him back.

"Now, where were we?" he smirked before kissing her harder again, her body once again getting into rhythm with his then...

"Grandad, Grandma, what are you doing?" Henry asks holding a wooden sword in his left hand.


End file.
